Characteristics and antitumor activity of polysorbate 80 curcumin micelles preparation by cloud point cooling

Curcumin is a natural bioactive compound with known potential for cancer treatment and prevention. However, a major barrier for clinical application is its poor solubility and bioavailability. Nanotechnology is an effective approach to enhance the bioavailability of insoluble drugs. We explored a novel way to prepare micellar curcumin in the common food additive, polysorbate 80, by utilizing the process of micelle formation that occurs during slow cooling below its cloud point. Curcumin molecules were thus dissolved and encapsulated. Micellar curcumin was stable during storage and was more tolerant to harsh pH conditions than free curcumin. The ~20 nm-sized nanocurcumin micelles showed improved antitumor effect than free curcumin in SUM149 human breast cancer xenografts in mice. This new method overcame the difficulty of dissolving curcumin in aqueous solution of polysorbate 80, and may find application in the production of other functional nutraceuticals.